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New SONG expansion

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General Lee

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Song Hits a High Note With New Coast-to-Coast Flying and Major Service Expansion from New York
Wednesday January 26, 8:03 am ET

Low-Fare Air Service Offers Distinctive Style and Amenities to Customers in Five New Destinations from JFK Including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, San Juan and Aruba

Joanne Smith Named Song President


ATLANTA, Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Song®, Delta Air Lines' low-fare, high-style air service, announced today a major expansion, nearly doubling its service from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport with the addition of five new destinations. Song is adding significant coast-to-coast service, offering direct, nonstop flights with Song's low fares and unique amenities to customers traveling to and from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle, as well as to San Juan and Aruba. Beginning May 1, Song will grow by one third, adding 12 Boeing 757s to its current fleet of 36, to facilitate the expanded service which includes 36 new flights by September 2.

"Song's growth is based on strong, consistent customer response to Delta's low-fare, high-service brand," said Jerry Grinstein, Delta's chief executive officer. "In less than two years of operation, Song has proven to be a hit with passengers, a highly-efficient competitor, and a successful test bed for new and innovative ideas. Song is playing an important role in Delta's transformation."

This expansion marks Song's commitment to both choice and convenience, with service to the most accessible airports for air travelers. Starting today, customers can book the following new nonstop service for travel on Song at flysong.com: * JFK to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) - first flight takes off May 1 with seven roundtrips by June 18 * JFK to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) - first flight takes off July 4 with five roundtrips by Sept. 1 * JFK to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) - first flight takes off July 4 with three roundtrips by Sept. 2 * JFK to San Juan's Luis Munoz Marin Airport (SJU) - first flight takes off June 18 with two roundtrips by June 19 * JFK to Aruba's Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) - Saturday service takes flight July 23

In addition to its service expansion, Delta has named Joanne Smith as president of Song. A 25-year aviation industry veteran, she previously served as Song's vice president of marketing and customers, playing a vital role in the creation and launch of Song, as well as the development and execution of Song's unique marketing strategy and customer service approach. Prior to joining Song, she was vice president of marketing and planning for DHL Airways, Inc. in Chicago and has held senior positions at several start-up companies.

"Joanne truly represents the Song spirit, optimism and creativity that have made Song an award-winning customer favorite and noteworthy low-cost competitor," said Paul Matsen, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of marketing for Delta. "Joanne led Song's efforts to successfully define and differentiate Song, changing what customers have come to expect from low-cost carriers by offering both the low fares and the extensive selection of creative and comprehensive choices they want and value."

Song's expanded service will feature the wide array of on-board amenities that distinguish its brand from other low-cost carriers. Song's in-flight entertainment system is the most innovative of any low-fare service, offering personal seatback video monitors that provide: 24 channels of live, satellite television; 24 channels of audio programming; digitally-streamed MP3 programming that allows customers to create individual play lists of 32 songs at their seat, from an inventory of more than 1,600 songs; 10 movies on-demand, allowing customers to start and stop the film at their leisure; 10 video games; and a popular interactive trivia game that allows passengers to compete against one another.

Song also offers a comprehensive onboard menu, featuring healthful, organic selections, as well as a few indulgences, including its signature cocktails -- shaken, not stirred. Last year, Song introduced an In-Flight Fitness program, developed exclusively for the low-fare service by fitness guru David Barton. The 15-minute workout is designed to decrease stress and fatigue and improve strength and flexibility -- all while burning calories.

"We are thrilled to expand our New York service and head west, bringing customers in these destinations low fares and coast-to-coast service at the most convenient airports," said Joanne Smith, president of Song. "Our unique amenities and options are unsurpassed by any low-fare carrier, including the most in-flight entertainment offerings, a delicious and healthy on-board food menu, SkyMiles accrual, and even conveniences like in-flight fitness. We want our newest customers to become our most frequent fliers."

Since its launch on April 15, 2003, Song has grown to serve 13 cities with more than 140 non-stop flights between primarily the Northeast and Florida leisure destinations -- including West Palm Beach, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Orlando -- as well as Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Juan and Nassau, Bahamas. Song currently operates a fleet 36 Boeing 757s, with 199 all-leather, all-coach seats. With the addition of 12 new planes and 18 new roundtrip flights, Song will provide travelers with a total of 176 daily nonstop departures by September 2, 2005.

Song customers can use a credit card or cash to make purchases onboard. Song presently serves all three New York metro area airports -- JFK, Newark and LaGuardia -- the only low-fare service to do so. All Song flights are operated by Delta Air Lines. Song tickets can be purchased by visiting flysong.com or calling 1-800-FLY-SONG (1-800-359-7664).



Bye Bye--General Lee
 
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"In less than two years of operation, Song has proven to be a hit with passengers, a highly-efficient competitor, and a successful test bed for new and innovative ideas. Song is playing an important role in Delta's transformation."


Note that JG won't say "profitable" along with his flowering praise. Hey, this is all good as it will force JB to continue to improve its product.

#1W
 
HA HA. Well, it was created a couple years ago, before we had the huge huge losses, so I think it was made to combat Jetblue. If it weren't doing well, it probably would have been gone by now. (you would think) Grinstein says in the artical that Song is "successful", and since we all don't really know what that means, I would tend to think that it is profitable. But, plenty of JB guys will probably disagree.


Bye Bye--General Lee

PS--Iflyfred, No doubt. I have to go fly anyway and I won't be able to give any retorts.
 
The transcon thing worked so well for AWA. What makes Song think it will fare any better? Absolutely no money to be made on these routes with the pricing structure that exists today.
 
G,
Please don't take my comments the wrong way. I DO NOT want to see DAL go bankrupt, nor any other carrier for that matter. However, I find it amazing to add such capacity while at the same time lowering fares and losing millions overall. I tend to think such plans are designed to carry out much larger, nefarious agendas which we line pilots will never be privy. Fly safely.

-W
 
Saabslime said:
The transcon thing worked so well for AWA. What makes Song think it will fare any better? Absolutely no money to be made on these routes with the pricing structure that exists today.

We couldn't make it work for reasons that are a little different than Song.

-We have almost zero name recognition on the East Coast. We do not advertise or promote our product very much.

-We couldn't match the irrational response from AA and UA when they offered free tickets anywhere they flew if you purchased a transcon on them. Song can match this type of stupidity.

-Delta has a very large international operation at JFK and already has significant market share. They've been flying JFK-LAX for years. They are just improving the service by adding Song. They can connect passengers at both JFK and LAX which we couldn't really do.

-They are flying 199 seat 757's with a much lower seat cost than our 319's.

-They are a large corporation already losing billions of dollars. Bleeding more red ink short term may position them against jetblue longterm. We can't afford to bleed the dollars. No one is going to let DL go away. If we went away tomorrow, no one would notice.

-Song passengers earn DL FF miles.

The list goes on and on......
 
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Well, DAL does have 1.8B in the bank, maybe it will last long enough to kill blue!
 
Along with this expansion, DL will be dropping JFK-SAN and JFK-DEN....which were both relaunched last year. JFK-PHX was also dropped last year. Seems to me that DL is still really struggling out of JFK. They just throw planes at routes and pray something sticks.
 

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